Multiple-cylinder explosive-engine



W. H. GASKELL, G. C(DAWSON AND T. V. LEWIS.

MULTIPLE CYLINDER EXPLOSIVE ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED I. 20 ,1920- 1,368,031 Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

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MULTIPLE CYLINDER EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR,20. 1920.

1,368,031. Patented Feb; 8, 1921. v

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. GASKELL, GEORGE C. DAWSON, AND THOMAS V. LEWIS, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

MULTIPLE-CYLINDER EXPLOSIVE-EN GIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Application filed March 20, 1920. Serial No. 367,535.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WVILLIAM H. GAS- KELL, GEORGE C. DAWSON, and THOMAS V. Lnwrs, citizens of the United States, all residin at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and tate of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiple-Cylinder Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to multiple cylinder explosive engines and an object is to provide valve mechanism for controlling the intake of explosive mixture to the cylinders and the exhaust of spent gases therefrom. An object in particular is to provide a valve mechanism for this purpose of simple and efiicient construction which will not clog with carbon, which will operate smoothly and without rattling, and which has a minimum number of parts liable to get out of order. Another object is to provide means associaated with the valve mechanism for drawing in the explosive mixture from the intake manifold with a pumping action and a tendency to more thoroughly break up and homogenize such mixture.

The full objects and advantages of our invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof and the novel features embodied in our inventive idea will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the applicationof our invention in one form,

Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation. Fig. 2 is a view in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a view in section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a view in section on the line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view in section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail view in elevation.

Referring to the construction shown in the drawings, which show the device applied to a four-cycle engine, the character 10 designates cylinders in which work pistons 12 connected by crank rods 14 to a crankshaft 16 positioned in a crank case 18. The cylinders are provided with the customary water-jacket 20, spark plugs 22, intake manifold 24 and exhaust manifold 26. Secured to the crankshaft 16 is a bevel gear 28 which meshes with a bevel gear 30 secured to a shaft 32. Gears 34 and 36 are secured to the upper portion of the shaft 32, the gear casing 42 forming 34 meshing with a gear 38 secured to a rotary cylindrical valve 40 mounted in a valve part of the cylinder head. The valve 40 is provided with two admission portions 44 adjacent the discharge ends of the intake manifold 24, these admission portions being constituted by a plurality of inclined slots arranged around the circumference of the cylindrical valve, as best shown in Fig. 5. The valve 40 is also provided with four openings 46 arranged in succession ninety degrees from each other measured from the centers circumferentially around the valve as shown in Fig. 1,

these openings being adapted during the rotation of the valve to register with the inlet ports 48 of the cylinders. The gear 36 previously referred to meshes with a gear 50 secured to a shaft 52 to which are also se cured two gears 54 meshing with gear teeth 56 formed in the outer surface of two cylindrical rotary valves 58 mounted in valve casings 60. The valves 58 are provided with four openings 62 arranged in succession ninety degrees from each other circumferentially and adapted during the rotation of the valves to register with the exhaust ports 64, at which time the exhaust gases pass through the passageways 66 to the exhaust manifold 26, as best shown in Fig. 3. The arrangement of gears is such that the cylindrical valves rotate at one half the speed of the crankshaft when the engine is of the four-cycle type. In such case the valve openings 46 and 62 which cooperate with any one cylinder are arranged to operate at two hundred and seventy degrees from each other with relation to the cycle of operations, so that ,during the first cycle the opening 62 is closed and the opening 46 communicates with the cylinder, the piston then going down and drawing in the explosive mixture. During the second and third cycles neither of the openings 46 and 62 communicate with the cylinder, the back compression stroke of the piston occurring during the second cycle and the ignition of the mixture and power stroke of the piston occurring during the third cycle. During the fourth cycle the opening 46 is closed and the opening 62 communicates with the outlet port and the spent gases are pushed out of the cylinder by the returning piston.

The operation and advantages of our invention will be readily apparent from the foregoing description. Ready access to the exhaust valves 58 may be had by means of screw'caps 68 in the cylinder casino; and screw caps 70 in the valve casing. n account of the exhaust valves being separated from each other in the watenjaclret they are more efficiently cooled.

We claim: 1. An explosive engine comprising a plurality of cylinders, pistons in said cylinders,

longitudinal alinement with each other, hollow cylindrical valves in said alined'valve casings for controlling communication be tween sald cyllnders and sald exhaust manifold, a water'jaeket surrounding all of said valve casings excepting the portions thereof where they are attached to the cylinder head,

and means for rotating all of said valves in timed relatlon.

2. An exploslve engme comprlsing a plurality of cylinders, pistons in said cylinders, c

an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold, a valve casing attached to the cylinder head, a hollow cylindrical valve in said valve casing for controlling communication between said cylinders and said intake manifold, a

plurality of valve casings attached to the cylinder head in longitudinal alineinent with each other, hollow cylindrical valves in said alined valve casings for controlling communication between said cylinders and'said exhaust manifold, curved partitions in said last mentioned valves serving to direct spent gases passing from said cylinders to said ex- 7 haust manifold, and means for rotating all of said valves in timed relation.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiii; our signatures.

XVILLIAM H. GASKELL. GEORGE C. -DA\VSON. THOMAS V. LEWIS. 

